Adjusting and holding device for curtains.



- H. H. SGHROYER.

ADJUSTING AND HOLDING DEVICE FOR CURTAINS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

1,097,676; Patented May 26, 191 1 Eva-LE ilt lli ll STATES PATENT union.

HARRY H. SaCI-IRQYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLI1\TGI$, ASSIGNOl-t T0 171-133 ACME SUPPLY COMPANY, A. CORPORATION'OF ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTING AND HOLDING DEVICE. FOR CURTAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17', 1911.

Patented May 26, 1914.

Serial No. 633,816.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, HARRY H. SCI-IROYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chi ago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Adjusting and Holding Devices for Gun tains; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of adjusting and holding devices for curtains usually secured at the bottom of the curtain as, for example, a car window curtain, to hold the curtain extended against the upward stress exerted by a spring curtain roller. As heretofore constructed, such devices have usually been provided with friction feet, one at each end of the rod, which engage in suitable grooves at each side of the window and frictionally hold the curtain in adjustment. ()f course, the outward pressure exerted by the friction feet against the jamb may or may not be sufficient to hold the curtain in adjustment, dependent, of course, upon the strength of the springs acting to force the friction feet outwardly and the strength of the torsion spring in the curtain roller. Should the springs in the rod prove deficient in strength, the constant vibration of the car when in motion may cause the curtain to rise or fall, dependent upon the relative weight of the rod and the strength of the torsion spring in the roller.

The object of this invention is to afford a construction whereby the curtain at all times is firmly held in its adjusted position, notwithstanding the differences in stress and resistance before mentioned.

It is also an object of the invention to afford an exceedingly simple, compact and durable device of the class described, equipped with means for rigidly engaging the same in adjusted position.

it is a final object of this invention to afford in combination with a curtain stick such as described, positive locking and holding means incapable of slipping to vary the adjustment, but permitting easy detachment for adjustment.

In the drawings: Figure 1 an inner face view of a car window equipped with a device embodying my invention and broken away to illustrate the construction in operation. Fig. 2 an enlarged central longitudinal section broken away of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is an en larged section on line 3-4) of Fig. 1. Fig. fl: is an enlarged end elevation of one of the friction feet with a holding means therein. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section of the curtain stick. G is an enlarged end elevation of one of the friction feet. Fig. i is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the connection between the holding means and its actuating rod.

As shown in the drawings: 1, indicates a car window; 2, the jambs therefor equipped with the usual stops 3, d and 5, to afford a retaining and guide groove X, for the vertically moving sash and a corresponding vertical guide groove Y, at the inner side of the window on each side of the frame for the engagement of the ends of the curtain retaining means therein. As shown, a vertical rack bar 6, is secured centrally in each of said grooves Y, and extends from the bottom to the top of the window opening.

The retaining means for the curtain 7, comprises a tube or sleeve 8, which is en gaged in a hem in the bottom of the curtain and is of less length than the width of the curtain and is drawn to slightly less diameter at each end thereof and externally threaded.

Extending into the hem on each side of the curtain, as shown in Fig. 2, a tubular stem 9, which is internally threaded to thread on the reduced ends of the tube or sleeve 8, and is of the same external diame ter as said tube to afford a curtain stick of substantially uniform diameter and of slightly greater length than the width of the curtain. Said tubular stems 9, are provided on their outer ends with upwardly and outwardly directo channeled arms 10, affording the housing for friction pads 11, of rubber, felt or other suitable material. Said stems with the channeled ends thereof may be constructed from suitable tube by means of stamping or drawing one end thereof to afford the required housing for said pad. As shown, said tube 9 is slightly restricted to afford a tapered portion of slightly less diameter than the rest of the tube, such to stricted portion existing adjaccurt the out wardly directed feet 10. The tube 8, is longitudinally slotted in one side thereof at the middle and actuating rods 12, are slidably engaged in said tube or sleeve, fitting somewhat loosely in the reduced end thereof to avoid binding and secured on the inner end of each and extending through the slot in said tube and the hem of the curtain are finger pieces 13, of the usual form adapted to be engaged manually in drawing said adjusting rods inwardly. Said adjusting rods, as shown in Fig. 8, are slotted longitudinally and centrally at their outer ends and extending inwardly through the friction feet 18 a bar 1 1, flattened at its inner end tofit in the slot in the end of its adjusting rod, and, as shown, permanently engaged therein by means of a pin or rivet 15, extending through both. Said bar 141 is restricted in diameter at a point adjacent the rack 16, hereinafter described, such that the outward adjustment of said bar is limited by the restricted portion mentioned with reference to the tube 9. Integral with the outer end of said bar 1-1, is a rack 16, arranged transversely the same and complemental with the rack bar in each of the guide grooves Y, and adapted to mesh therewith. A. pushing spring 17 shown as a spiral spring is secured on the outer end of each adjusting rod, bearing at one end against the reduced outer end of the sleeve or tube 8, and at its other end against the inner end of the rack bar 14, said spring acting at all times to hold said rack bars outwardly in position to positively engage the racks in the guide grooves Y, of the window frame. The finger pieces 13, may be secured on the inner ends of the adjusting rod in any suitable manner. As shown, the stems are constructed each with a socket or bore to receive the end and a pin or rivet is inserted therethrough, though, of course, the stem may be threaded in place if desired.

The operation is as follows: In adjusting the stick to the window frame the stop 5, of course, being moved, the friction feet are adjusted outwardly or inwardly by threading the same inwardly or outwardly as required on the tube or sleeve 7, until the friction .pads thereof bear somewhat lightly upon the rack 6, at each side of the window. These serve merely as guides for the curtain in raising and lowering the same and are not intended to exert any appreciable holding effect, this being accomplished by means of the rack ends 16, of the rack bars 14. Having adjusted the friction feet to afford the desired relation with the rack bars 6, on each side of the frame, the stops are returned to position. If now it is desired to raise the curtain the racks 16, are retracted by means of the adjusting bars inwardly within the outer face of the friction pads 11. The curtain may now be adjusted upwardly or downwardly, inasmuch as the racks are held out of mesh, to immediately engage, however, at the adjusted p0- sition when the finger pieces 13, are released. The tension of the springs is intended to be only sufiicient to normally hold the racks in engagement. In consequence any required adjustment of the curtain is easily efiected and when once in adjusted position, the curtain is permanently and positively held in adjustment until intentionally and manually released. Vibration due to the movement of the car can in no manner affect the adjustment and in the event of the spring in the spring roller ordinarily used proving too weak or too strong for the weight of the rod and its adjustments, the curtain, nevertheless is held in the desired position.

Of course, details of this construction may be varied, for I have shown but one, and that a preferred form of my invention, and though numerous modifications and variations in the construction may be easily effected, I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent to be granted on this application, as I believe I am entitled to claim broadly any construction in which adjustable and positive acting means are carried on the bottom of the curtain to positively hold the bottom of the curtain in the desired adjustment.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a curtain fixture, slidable locking means, a spring normally projecting the same into locking position, and unitary adjustable means adapted to limit the projection and retraction of said locking means.

2. In a device of the class described spring actuated locking means, and unitary means adjustable to limit the projection and retraction of said locking means adapting said device for use on windows of different width.

3. In a device of the class described a tube, spring actuated locking members slidable therein, and means adjustable on said tube to limit the projection and retraction of said locking means.

4. In a device of the class described a tube, rods slidable therein, locking teeth engaged on the ends of said rods, springs engaged between said teeth members and extremity of said tube to project said locking teeth outwardly and tubular guide members adjustable on said tube and receiving said tooth members to limit the inward and outward movement thereof.

5. In a device of the class described actuating means, a tubular tapered guide memher, and a locking member extending therethrough and limited in its movement thereby irrespective of said actuating means.

6. In a curtain fixture of the class described adjustable tubular stems, felt lined guide feet integral therewith, and locking members extending therethrough and limited from inward movement thereby.

7. In a device of the class described a fixed casing, rods slidable therein, actuating means thereon extending through a slot in said casing, locking means secured on the ends of said rods, and members adjustably secured on the extremities of said casing to receive the locking means therethrough and limit both the projective and retractive movement thereof irrespective of said actuating means.

8. In an adjustable curtain fixture adapt ed for windows of different width, a fixed casing, actuating rods slidable therein, a plurality of locking teeth secured thereon, springs bearing against said casing and said tooth members, and bearing and guiding feet secured adjustably on said casing and receiving said tooth members therethrough adapted to limit both the projective and retractive movement thereof irrespective of said rods Within the casing.

9. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a stick, of an adjustable transverse rack carried at each end thereof, a complemental rack bar rigidly secured on the frame at each side of the curtain to coact therewith, and adjustable means to limit the movement of the transverse rack.

10. In a device of the class described a Window frame grooved on each side thereof,

a curtain, a tubular stick therefor, adjustable feet on the ends thereof engaging in said grooves, a rack bar in each groove, a rack adjustably engaged in each end of said feet and limited in its movement thereby to coact therewith in holding the curtain in adjustment, and adjusting means therefor Within the tubular stick.

11. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a curtain and a curtain stick, of an adjustable transverse rack carried on each end thereof, adjustable means to limit the movement thereof, an adjusting rod for each lying along the stick, centrally disposed means for actuating the same, a spring acting to force each rack outwardly, and a complemental rack bar secured on the frame at each side of the curtain to coact with the racks on the stick.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two sub- 5O scribing witnesses.

HARRY H. SCHROYER.

Witnesses LAWRENCE Rninsrnm, Gnoncn It. Moons.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

